| Mulgaras[1] | |
|---|---|
| |
| Crest-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Dasyuromorphia |
| Family: | Dasyuridae |
| Subfamily: | Dasyurinae |
| Tribe: | Dasyurini |
| Genus: | Dasycercus Peters, 1875 |
| Type species | |
| 'Chaetocercus' cristicauda Krefft, 1867
| |
| Species | |
Mulgaras are the six small rat-sized species in the genus Dasycercus.[3] They are marsupial carnivores, closely related to the Tasmanian devil and the quolls, that live in deserts and spinifex grasslands of arid Australia. They are nocturnal, but occasionally "sunbathe" in the entrance of the burrow in which they dwell. Their kidneys are highly developed to excrete extremely concentrated urine to preserve water, as the animals rarely drink. They feed mostly on insects, but also eat reptiles and small mammals. They are seasonal breeders and breed from June to September. The pouch comprises two lateral folds of skin.
Traditionally, two distinct but very similar species were recognized. The brush-tailed mulgara (D. blythi, previously classified as D. cristicauda), has an uncrested tail, two upper premolars, and six nipples. The crest-tailed mulgara (previously D. hillieri, but now reclassified as D. cristicauda) has a crested tail, three upper premolars, and eight nipples.[4] More recently, the Ampurta (D. hillieri) was once again recognized and three additional species were described: the southern mulgara (D. archeri), the little mulgara (D. marlowi), and the northern mulgara (D. woolleyae).[2]
The generic name Dasycercus means "hairy tail".[5]
- ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 24. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ a b c d e Newman-Martin, Jake; Travouillon, Kenny J.; et al. (2023). "Taxonomic review of the genus Dasycercus (Dasyuromorphia: Dasyuridae) using modern and subfossil material; and the description of three new species". Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology. 47 (4): 624–661. Bibcode:2023Alch...47..624N. doi:10.1080/03115518.2023.2262083.
- ^ Chris Pavey; Jeff Cole; John Woinarski (2005). "THREATENED SPECIES OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY BRUSH-TAILED MULGARA" (PDF). Parks and Wildlife Commission, Northern Territory. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ Woolley, P.A. (2005). "The species of Dasycercus Peters, 1875 (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae)". Memoirs of Museum Victoria. 62 (2): 213–221. doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2005.62.8.
- ^ Woolley, P.A. (1995). "Mulgara". In Ronald Strahan (ed.). The Mammals of Australia. Reed Books. pp. 55–56.